Smack: Robby tries to play nice but it's transparent

1. Robby Gordon has offered Marcos Ambrose a ride in one of his cars for Sunday's race at Watkins Glen. How much will that olive branch help restore Gordon's reputation?

Dave Rodman: With the haters, probably not at all. But there are a lot of misguided people everywhere you look, so whatever. Robby's intense; and you have to be able to appreciate that.

David Caraviello: It's something he needs to do. As time has passed since Saturday, Robby has probably realized how poor his actions looked in the eyes of the public, and that he needs to do something to help turn that around.

Duane Cross: I don't think it will do much to restore his rep; fans already either love him or hate him -- but I think Robby understands that the gesture is goodwill on his part to a fellow competitor.

Dave Rodman: It does go to show that when he's thinking clearly and without the pressure of going one-on-one against the world, behind the wheel, he can make some pretty astute decisions.

Duane Cross: I also think he's trying to send a message to NASCAR: I can play nice.

David Caraviello: Unless, of course, he gives Marcos a car that's set to blow up on Lap 30.

Dave Rodman: I am pleasantly surprised that of the bunch of e-mails I've received, more than two-thirds -- beginning on Sunday morning, of all days, when we posted the "parked" story -- have been pro-Robby.

Duane Cross: A lot of e-mails this week from folks who were not Robby fans but now say they're rooting for him because of the Montreal fiasco.

Dave Rodman: Now conversely, they actually mostly said "Robby got screwed" and questioned NASCAR's ability to understand its rules; enforce them and make cogent calls.

David Caraviello: Sorry, but I fail to see how showing that degree of insolence can win somebody over. He may very well have been wronged, but his response scuttled the credibility of his argument.

Duane Cross: How cool would it be to see Robby and Marcos running 1-2 at the end? And do you think Marcos would take the opportunity to dump Robby in a turn?

Dave Rodman: Yes, if it comes down to it at the end between the two of them, Marcos did say on national radio Tuesday night he'd have no problem doing whatever he had to do to Robby to win.

David Caraviello: Of course, Robby probably didn't realize how childish he looked from the seat of his car. Television replays in the aftermath have probably helped.

Duane Cross: Yeah, that was the consensus: Robby got screwed. And yes, David -- Robby's actions hurt his case.

Dave Rodman: Of course, hindsight being 20-20, and using all the replays they should have had, you could see Robby passed Marcos under yellow; got spun out in incidental contact so should have been placed where he rejoined -- and if RG didn't get it, throw a red flag and place him there.

David Caraviello: But according to NASCAR's statement, he wasn't technically in violation of that directive until he crossed the start-finish line.

Dave Rodman: I've been to a few dozen short tracks in my life where that very thing's occurred. NASCAR exacerbated a bad situation by not taking control of it. God only knows, they know kids will be kids.

David Caraviello: Yes, but as the NASCAR brass will tell you, this is not a short track. This is supposed to be the big show.

Dave Rodman: Robby certainly regretted it, but at the time, it certainly made sense if you were him.

David Caraviello: It made sense to scuttle your entire race for revenge? Please. I don't buy that.

Dave Rodman: Revenge had nothing to do with anything. He was standing up for what he believed in.

Duane Cross: At the time, I doubt Robby was thinking anything other than "I'm getting the screws put to me again." He's gotten dinged several times by NASCAR -- and this one sent him over the edge.

Dave Rodman: But I find it hard to believe he's not aware of the "maintain speed under caution" dictate, which I think has been stated in every driver's meeting I've ever been to...

Duane Cross: He did scuttle the entire race -- whether for revenge against Ambrose or previous decision by NASCAR or whatever.

David Caraviello: What, you think Robby was thinking big picture when he bumped Ambrose repeatedly under caution and then took him out in the first turn? No way. That was pure vindictiveness.

Dave Rodman: But you wanna talk vindictive? I'd spell that "$35,000 fine."

Duane Cross: I agree, David -- he had the "red mist" without question.

Dave Rodman: Hmm -- I only saw him tap him once when he reached him the first time, then he drove around in the "I'm questioning your call" position.

David Caraviello: Oh, he bumped him from behind at least twice, and banged door-to-door. He was seething at the guy who took him out. That much came through on television.

Dave Rodman: Could be. I think it was more a case of ire at NASCAR, his 900-lb. gorilla -- and Marcos was an unfortunate horsefly to him. At any rate, Robby's done the right thing and everyone needs to move on.

David Caraviello: Well, that's what he wants everyone to do. That doesn't mean everyone's going to forget it. Dave, he embarrassed NASCAR on an international stage. He got off light.

Duane Cross: MORE RANT! I love it!

2) Will Juan Montoya score a Nextel Cup road course sweep, and if he can't, will it be Fellows, Said, Pruett, a Gordon or someone else who stops him?

Duane Cross: Guys, there were six drivers mentioned in that question -- none named Tony Stewart. I think he's the guy to beat, and Kevin Harvick is an equally strong candidate.

Dave Rodman: You can't leave out that RCR gang, based on what they did at Infineon -- or certainly not Tony Stewart, either. Boys, this may be a champagne year for Cup road racing in the upstate New York wine country.

David Caraviello: It's hard to bet against Montoya this week, much to the chagrin of the people who for some reason boo him every week. Funny, all those people who complain about how "aggressive" JPM is didn't seem to have any problem with Robby Gordon.

Duane Cross: Well, if Kurt Busch wins, it's beer for everyone -- not champagne -- that is, if Kurt can pop the top, which he obviously couldn't do at Pocono.

Dave Rodman: My brothers, several people picked up on that and they couldn't believe it.

Duane Cross: Kurt, dude -- if you're gonna fake taking a drink, at least open the beer and let some dribble down your chin!

Dave Rodman: Bobby Allison needs to give him some lessons -- one Miller man to another. That was a guy who washed his chin with more Miller products than you could shake a stick at.

David Caraviello: This from someone with a wealth of beer-drinking experience, it seems.

Dave Rodman: Of course, B.A. was probably flying home after the show, so imbibing was not on his agenda.

David Caraviello: Duane would have K.B. on a regimen of 16-ounce curls that would whip him into shape in no time.

Dave Rodman: Poor Kurt. I wonder what he was thinking when he did -- or didn't, in the case of popping the top -- that?

Duane Cross: Wouldn't call it a "wealth" of experience ... but certainly more than pocket change. Actually, those would be 32-oz. curls -- one in each hand!

Dave Rodman: Watch that, you'll bring the wrath of ESPN's Skip Bayless down on you for being a drunken, bad influence -- never mind that your youth baseball team just finished fifth in the doggone country.

David Caraviello: Plenty to watch for this weekend. In addition to JPM, you wonder if anyone's going to get busted for COT infractions like the last time we visited a road course.

Dave Rodman: Man, I'd like to think not -- on the technical infractions. I don't see the difference between Sonoma, The Glen and New Hampshire -- and I don't remember anyone having any problems at NHIS. That was a blip on the radar for Hendrick -- albeit a pretty sizeable one.

Duane Cross: Re: Juan's aggressiveness -- I have no problem with guys using the front bumper, the side panels or the rear quarters to make their point on road courses. I love road-course racing in the Cup Series; it gives a great snapshot of who can wheel it.

Dave Rodman: The Glen is a fast place, I'd like to think there would not be an awful lot of rubbing going on there, but I guess it's inevitable.

David Caraviello: You're right. Road racing is vastly underrated. I'd love to see more of it. Maybe one day NASCAR will visit Laguna Seca, the best road circuit in America.

Dave Rodman: Because so many teams test there, I'd love to see them race Road Atlanta. Get Bruton to buy it and swap one of his AMS dates out there -- either there or Road America.

Duane Cross: Yes! Laguna would be sweet! I'd give a gold monkey for more serpentine races -- and I think fans would flock to LS, and Road Atlanta would be my second choice.

David Caraviello: Of course, the problem is infrastructure. Those places don't have as many grandstand seats as Cup races would require. You'd have a lot of people sitting on hilltops.

Dave Rodman: Am hearing Ron Fellows dusted all the Hendrick cars (that were there) at Road Atlanta. He is the man at The Glen -- and would love to see him get his big score to go with the other five stock car wins he has there.

David Caraviello: Yeah, but history tells us a road-course ace won't win. When's the last time that happened, decades ago?

Dave Rodman: Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio and Elkhart Lake all have plenty of grassdom.

Duane Cross: Bruton has the cash to build seats -- probably enough in his front pocket. C'mon, Bruton -- you're my hero; build it and they will come!

3) Who's gonna be the next to merge, conglomerate, commiserate, partnerize, hire or fire?

David Caraviello: I'm hearing rumors that Hendrick Motorsports may merge with Ferrari. All right, maybe not. But boy, would that be fun!

Duane Cross: Michael Schumacher for rookie of the year!

David Caraviello: Uh, Schumacher retired, Duane.

Duane Cross: Yeah -- from F-1.

David Caraviello: Of course, so did Mark Martin.

Dave Rodman: Mark was pretty explicit in explaining he's nowhere close to "retiring" from racing. Even from retiring from Nextel Cup.

David Caraviello: Except for that little press conference in Charlotte a few years ago when he said he was going to go off and run trucks for the rest of his life. My, how plans change.

Duane Cross: Strange that he's not racing at Watkins Glen; he's a beast at that track -- but back to the original question: I think Michael Waltrip Racing will have an extreme makeover within the next year.

Dave Rodman: Stranger things could happen than some other notables sampling the waters before too long.

Duane Cross: Dale Jarrett said he was retiring after 2008. Mikey can't be far from hanging up the helmet.

Dave Rodman: I doubt D.J. could stand everything he's going through for another year-and-a-half.

David Caraviello: So should Red Bull, make-over. Some of these Toyota outfits clearly weren't ready for prime time. Maybe they should all merge together. After all, the race fan considers them one entity anyway.

Duane Cross: MWR could do a lot worse than making a hard run at J.J. Yeley.

David Caraviello: Yeley and Vickers together wouldn't be bad. But if I'm Brian Vickers, I'm making a call to DEI right now. "Hey, I hear you guys have a seat open ..."

Duane Cross: Yep, Red Bull made a great hire with Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger may pan out but that outfit is struggling.

Busch goes to JGR

Kyle Busch, who will be replaced at Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season, has found a new home at Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Chevy in 2008.

• Complete story, click here

Dave Rodman: I think A.J. is a pretty good little racer -- if the Red Bull supply holds out.

Duane Cross: DEI could buy out Vickers' contract with the money it'd get from selling the No. 8 to Hendrick.

David Caraviello: DEI could do worse than Vickers. He's had some great runs in that 83 car -- when he can make races.

Dave Rodman: This was a building year for all those Toyotas. We'll look for 'em in "Better Homes and Gardens" next year.

David Caraviello: A.J. hasn't made a race since the last Michigan, two months ago. Gotta wonder what the future holds for him and Tony Raines. Ray Evernham is still high on Scott Riggs, but that seat has to be getting warm, too.

Duane Cross: Red Bull's long-term prospects are the best of the Toyota crews; it has the youngest, most talented stable of drivers on the upswing -- but how deep are its pockets?

Dave Rodman: I believe Red Bull is like the ocean -- Pacific, not the Indian.

David Caraviello: Dave, are you getting metaphysical on us again?

Dave Rodman: Definitely not.

Duane Cross: And let's see if there's fire to go with the smoke circling Joe Gibbs Racing and the Toyota rumors.

Dave Rodman: If the "Stremme eyes DEI" rumor has any legs, that could be the next domino to unleash a flurry -- though I'd struggle to see him leaving Ganassi.

Duane Cross: And then there's Ricky Rudd's future with Robert Yates Racing. There's still a lot of silly left in the season; you'll need a program to keep up with the changes next year.

Dave Rodman: I'll tell you this much, I knew the 36's season has been a disaster, but I felt like they were gonna go down with the ship, go down swinging, keep swinging until there was no more pins to knock down, or something like that. Not just give up Jeremy, or he on them.

David Caraviello: Tough deal for Mayfield, who's in an impossible situation. He really hasn't fared any better or worse than any other of the Toyota teams that entered the season with no points.

Dave Rodman: True. The old story: Where there is little chemistry, there is no production. He's not at the end of his rope, so put another domino in the deck.